This is a GREAT idea for casual or funky clothing! Will keep it firmly in mind!

However for items that need to have a more formal finished look to them you can go to SHOPZIPPERMEND.COM and find a very clever little gadget ----the zipper pull fixer has a "slide" feature and opens sideways, the little loop goes thru the hole in the leftover zipper part, and the item gets slid back over the loop and snaps closed---if needed you can give it a small nudge with a pair of pliers or a tap on a table top with a hard book etc.

These come in several useful colours like antique bronze , silver and black etc. They look like they were made for the items---no odd patchwork cob job look here. (This is for things like formal leather jackets and outerwear and suit pants remember!) They also have cute little neoprene covers in hot colours for them---in case you need a real sturdy pull but want that funky look too!

I don't work for these clever people but I do sell a lot of vintage clothing and I often need to replace zipper pulls. These have saved my bacon several times and put clothing back out in use that would otherwise have gone to the scrap pile.

For getting small fine zippers fixed I have used a gadget used in sewing to pull cording thru hems and waistbands. This is a fairly long---abt 9"-wire with a tiny hook with a latch closer on it. Poke the turner wire thru the eye in the zipper puller and use it to grab a piece of cord. wire, or whatever you can find and use the little hook and latch to grasp and hold as you pull. This can also ease the left over zipper pull metal just enough to get something slightly thicker thru without damaging the metal. This is an amazing tool to have around and you will find many uses for one. VEry skinny but very strong!

If you find yourself in ski wear and break a zipper pull lop off a piece of your jackets hem or hood shock cord and thread it thru the zipper pull for a quick fix. Either knot or steal one of the shock cord adjusters for the moment to close. There is always too much shock cord and if it really leaves you "short" can be easily replaced using the tool above. Cord adjusters can be bought at EMS or similar as can the cord itself.

Love this. My zipper tab broke off 2 winters ago and I put a paper clip on. My paper clip just broke two nights ago! Unfortunately the hole is VERY small on this one. The paper clip was a bear to get through. I'll have to see if I can find the connectors you've posted. Thanks for the Instructable.

Wire connectors may be hard to find, but Mountain Equipment Co-Op makes connectors meant for light cord. You often see these ends on fleece tops. You can use anything from old shoelaces to light bungee, they lock down, but can be re-opened with the fine edge on a pen-knife/multitool. I love 'em! Here is a link to MEC's item:

If the link does not work, go to www.MEC.ca, and search for " Web Source Groovy Zipper Pull ". Bet you can find it as easily as the wire-connectors.

Another possibility is split-rings (like used on keychains. Go into Walmart, in the craft/sewing section, and you can find 'em in a variety of sizes. Nephew uses the small ones to 'belt' his rubber worms to the hook instead of skewering 'em!

I still like the idea of just using wire and soldering (I've busted a few pulls in my day). In a pinch, tye-wraps will do, or hit a train or bus station, and get a luggage check tag, toss the tag, and use the plastic tye! Bonus there are its removable/re-usable! I always carry a handful of tyewraps, even bought metal ones at the local surplus store for securing checked baggage. Beats a lock if you aren't going in-&-out, and unless you're really good, shows any tanpering (most thieves don't have the time to be neat)

If you cannot find these, try searching for "phone splice connector". In the U.S. Radio Shack has them -- http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062793 -- and amazon has a few hits as well.

Excellent! I did a similar thing to "fix" a broken jacket zipper a while back using an RJ-45 connector and a bit of Cat. 5 wire (but I think yours turned out much better.) I started an Instructable on it, but never did finish; here are the photos though and a link to my blog post about it.

I *love* these! I can't wait for a zipper to break so I can make one. I have plenty of these connectors (and yes, they are available in the US -- they're "old school" telecomm connectors, all you young datacomm rascals wouldn't know!) Google UR-2 connector (or UR-3), or Scotchlok...

18/19 gauge should be the largest size on most connectors, the larger size should allow for the connector to get an extra bite. These connectors are rated for solid copper wire, not stranded (might still work, however it will pull out easier.

Thanks for thinking this is a great idea! Actually I found them when I was cleaning. You can probably find them in a home improvement store or an electronics store. I personally think the solid core wire would be best because it may be stronger, I believe, when you clamp it down. The gage of the wire depends on the connector. You can also just solder the wire to itself.(But I don't know if that will be strong enough.... the soldering part...)

Perfect timing, the tab just broke off on my winter jacket and since it is necessary to zip your jacket during a Minnesota winter I was a bit worried. Worked slick, thank you for saving me from hypothermia.

I've used these telephone connectors many times and NEVER thought of this application. Its simplicity is pure genius. You could get by with 18 AWG or even 16 AWG stranded wire to make it flexible. This is a clever and terrific idea.